Taurus
Taurus is a large and prominent zodiacal constellation in the northern celestial hemisphere, depicting a bull and recognized as one of the oldest patterns in the night sky, with origins traceable to ancient Mesopotamian civilizations such as the Sumerians.[1][2]Positioned near the ecliptic between Aries and Gemini, it spans approximately 797 square degrees and is visible primarily during winter evenings in the Northern Hemisphere, rising in the east after sunset from November to January.[3][4] Its distinctive V-shaped asterism, formed by the Hyades cluster, represents the bull's face, with the bright orange giant star Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri) marking the creature's fiery eye at an apparent magnitude of 0.86.[1][2]
Taurus hosts several notable deep-sky objects, including the Pleiades (M45), a young open cluster of hot blue stars about 440 light-years away and visible to the naked eye; the Hyades cluster, the nearest open cluster at around 153 light-years; and the Crab Nebula (M1), the remnant of a supernova observed in 1054 AD, containing a pulsar that rotates 30 times per second.[3][5] In ancient mythology, Taurus is associated with various bull figures, such as the Sumerian GU.AN.NA ("Bull of Heaven") or Greek tales involving Zeus transforming into a bull to abduct Europa, though empirical astronomical study prioritizes its stellar and nebular content over interpretive lore.[2] While culturally linked to the astrological sign spanning late April to May, precession of the equinoxes has shifted the Sun's actual passage through the constellation to mid-December, underscoring the distinction between observational astronomy and symbolic traditions.[6]